GOP legislator defends pro-slavery comments:Arkansas state Rep. Jon Hubbard told the Jonesboro Sun on Tuesday that he continues to believe the viewpoints he expressed in a 2010 book claiming that slavery was a "blessing" for blacks, TalkBusiness.net reports. Many would agree that the real blessing would be if he stopped speaking publicly.

Florida schools' race-based plan draws criticism: A five-year academic "road map" for Florida public school students is angering some educators and civil rights groups, who note that it sets different proficiency goals for African-American, Latino and white students, among others.